Expendible hair curler



June 18, 1968 R. D. MORRIS EXPENDIBLE HAIR CURLER Filed April 2, 1965INVENTOR- RUTH DAV/5 MORRIS Min- .4 TTOR/Vfi) United States Patent3,388,709 EXPENDIBLE HAIR CURLER Ruth Davis Morris, Quarters 5723, Apt.1), Fort Carson, Colo. 80913 Filed Apr. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 445,052 2Claims. (Cl. 132-42) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present inventiondescribes a disposable hair curler Constructed by rolling a preparedblank into the shape of a cylindrical tube, which tube has tapered endsand through which tube is extended an elastic member projecting fromboth ends, the said elastic member being disposed to overlap the hairand attach to projecting ears on the ends of the tube.

The present invention relates generally to devices for the treatment andarrangement of human hair, and more particularly, to hair curling spoolshaving means for securing a lock of hair thereto.

The prior art has dealt with a multitude of various types of curlingspools upon which the hair is rolled and set in order to producepermanent waves or curls in the hair. Some means have also beengenerally provided to secure the hair to the curling spool once the rollhas been made. Such devices have been manufactured from metal and fromplastic material and have been created in a vast number of shapes, sizesand configurations. All of these curlers, however, have beenmanufactured with the idea that they would last the user for some periodof time and that they were good for a number of uses. This longevity ofthe hair curler presents a good many problems however, since its costrequires that each batch of curlers be cleaned and reused and recleaned,all of which requires the expenditure of time and effort. In theprofessional hair dressing business, a considerable investment is madein a stock of curlers and in the labor to recondition them after eachuse.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a haircurling spool which is adapted and designed for a single use only andwhich can be manufactured at such a low cost as to make each unitexpendible.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a curling spoolhaving means for securing the free end of hair to the spool at thecommencement of the roll as well as means for anchoring the roller tothe hair at the conclusion of the roll.

A still further object of the invention, and one which cooperates withthe expendible nature of the structure, is the provision inside thespool of a means for absorbing the excess waving solution which is notheld by the hair and which would normally run off the head of the onereceiving the treatment.

Other and still further objects, features and advantages of theinvention will either become apparent as the description proceeds orwill be specifically referred to in the disclosure which follows inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the hair curler of the presentinvention showing a lock of hair in position to be rolled thereon.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the hair curler showing a lock of hairrolled thereon.

FIGURE 3 is a planned view of a blank for the manufacture of the haircurler of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the blank of FIGURE 3 after certain bendshave been made in the blank.

FIGURE 5 is a planned view of the blank as shown in FIGURE 4 with theabsorbent material and elastic band Patented June 18, 1968 in positionfor the rolling operation to be performed on the blank.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged end view of the cylindrical curler as shownafter the rolling operation.

In brief, the invention comprises a hollow perforated cylinder of thinwalled foil-like material having projections at each end thereof andthrough the center of which lies an elastic member which projects fromeach end of the cylinder.

Referring now to the drawings for a more detailed description of apreferred form of the invention. FIGURE 3 depicts the stamped blank 10from which the curler is made. The blank 10 is provided along each ofits ends with a series of three spaced apart V-shaped incisions 12 and aplurality of punched holes or apertures 15 and 15a. Spaced substantiallyevenly over the body of the curler blank 10, the apertures 15 are largeenough to permit the entry into the interior of the curler of the excesscurling solution which is not absorbed by the hair. A series of smallerapertures 15a are punched in the blank in such a fashion that thepunching operation will have a ragged upstanding edge on the side of theblank which will become the outside surface of the curler. In additionto the foregoing holes and cuts, a group of bend lines 18 are impressedparallel to one another and inwardly of the incisions 12.

In the next step of the forming operation, the blank is bent along thebend lines 18 and into the shape shown in FIGURE 4 where the pointedprojections 20 emerge and are raised from the blank along the incisions12. An elongated piece of cotton or similarly absorbent material 23 isnext placed centrally of the blank together with a length of elasticband 25, as clearly illustrated in FIG- URE 5. The band 25 is positionedso that each of its ends extends over the respective ends of the blank10. The blank is finally rolled into the shape of a cylinder, as shownin FIGURE 6, with the shoulders 27 at each end thereof being tapered toform a small opening through which the elastic band 25 emerges. Each endof the band 25 is provided with a small bell 29, or core shaped piece ofmetal or plastic or other similar device, to prevent the band from beingpulled into the interior of the cylinder and to permit the band to befastened to the opposite end of the curler as hereafter described.

The material from which the curler is constructed may be any of a numberof different materials having malleability and yet sufficient rigidityto be usable for the purpose intended. A light metal foil has been foundsatisfactory for the purpose described, and yet at the same time, cheapenough in its cost to permit a one-time use of the device.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, the use of the curler is illustrated. Alock of hair 30 is positioned adjacent to the curling cylinder andsubstantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof. One end 32of the band 25 is stretched across the free end of the hair 30 andbeneath one of the projections 20 so that the bell 29 cannot passbetween the projection 20 and the tapered shoulder 27. By thus attachingthe free end of the lock of hair to the roller, it is possible toeliminate the strip of paper or like material which, in the past, hasbeen placed next to the hair and rolled up with it to insure propercohesion to the roller during the initial stages of each rollingprocess. Once the hair is completely rolled, as shown in FIGURE 2, theother end of the band 25 is secured to the opposite end of the cylinderin a manner similar to the first end 32. It will be noted that theupwardly projected rough edge portions of the punched holes 15a create africtional contact with the hair, thus providing greater gripping of thehair by the roller.

After the hair is rolled and secured to the curler as shown in FIGURE 2,the waving solution is applied. Ex-

cess solution, which is not held by the hair, may be admitted to theinterior of the curler through the large holes 15 where it is absorbedby the cotton 23. In this manner, the curler of the present inventionaids in the control of the waving solution in addition to its functionas a curling spool.

Having thus described the several useful and novel features of theexpendible hair curler of the present invention in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it will be seen that the many worthwhileobjectives for which it was designed have been achieved. Although but afew of the several possible embodiments of the invention have beenillustrated and described herein, we realize that certain additionalmodifications may well occur to those skilled in the art within thebroad teaching hereof; hence, it is our intention that the scope ofprotection afforded hereby shall be limited only insofar as saidlimitations are expressly set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hair curler comprising:

a generally cylindrical tube having tapered shoulders at each endthereof forming hollow generally frustoconical end portions and having aplurality of perforations in the side walls of said tube intermediatethe said shoulders;

a plurality of circumferential ears projecting longitudinally from thesurface level of the tube and over said shoulders; and

an elongated elastic member secured Within said tube and having its endseach project from the opening in each end of said tube.

2. An elongated, generally rectangular, blank of malleable materialbeing adapted to be folded to form a generally cylindrical shaped haircurler, said blank having its short sides substantially parallel, aplurality of centrally disposed perforations, a pair of spaced apartbend lines parallel to said short sides, and a plurality of generallyV-shaped incisions in said material wherein the open end of said Vincisions are disposed along each of said bend lines so that alinebisecting the said V is perpendicular to said bend line and the closedend of said incision being disposed inwardly on said blank from theshort sides thereof. 7

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,608,978 9/1952 Solomon 132-422,677,380 5/1954 Schoendorf 132-42 2,695,620 11/1954 Renstrom 132-422,732,845 1/1956 Winkler 132-42 2,838,053 6/1958 Zimmerman 132-42 XR3,143,117 8/1964 Ruud 132-9 3,150,693 9/1964 Seltzer 128-284 XR3,316,117 4/1967 Clifford et a1. 128-284 X'R LOUIS G. MANCENE, PrimaryExaminer G. E. MCNEILL, Assistant Examiner.

